Hoisting machine



Dec" 4 #1923. 1,476,535

T. S. MILLER HOISTING MACHINE Fild March 18. 1920 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WITNESS 6 I I I I 1441 ATTORNEYd Dec, 4, 192.

INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. S. NHLLER' HOISTING MACHINE Filed March 18 WITNESS:

Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

UNITED s'rai rzs THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

HOISTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 18, 1920. 7 Serial No. 366,923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SrnNonR MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoisting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful, improvements in hoisting machines, winches, etc., and more particularly to that type wherein a winding drum is driven by an electric motor. One object, among others, which will appear hereinafter, is to provide an electrically "driven machine in which the usual'and necessary operation may be efliciently controlled even by an in experienced or inexpert operator, and pref erably by the use of a single operating means.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination to be more fully described hereinafter, and distinctly claimed.

line 3'3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end'elevation of anelectri cally operated .brake employed in connection with the invention.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view or layout of the controller and other circuits involved in the embodiment of the invention herein shown'and described.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2:-

1 designates a bed-plate or frame consisting of a bed including parallel side members 2,3, joined by parallel end members 4, 5. Supported by and rising from the said side members at one end thereof are standards or side frames 6, 6, having alining bearings 7 of any suitable type, and

in which are journalled the ends of a horizontal shaft 8. Carried by said shaft 8 and rigidly connected thereto. was to rotate therewith is a rope drum'tl, having end flanges 10, 11, the latter flange carrying or being rigidly connected to a drive gear 12. Also mounted on the standards 6, 6, are alining'bearings 13, 13, and in which are journalled the ends of a counter shaft 14, upon which is loosely mounted a driving pinion 15,'which is arranged in mesh with the gear 12, heretofore described. 011 one end of the shaft 14 is keyed a gear 16, with which meshes adriving gear or pinion 17, on the armature shaft 18 of an electricmotor 19, of any suitable type, and by means of which the vdrum is driven through the agency of the intermediate gearing just described. I

Asheretofore described, the gear or pin-. ion 15 is loosely mounted on the shaft -14, but I provide novel means for connecting said gear to said shaft so that power may be. transmitted from said "shaft to the drum, which means I will -now describe ---The gear 15 is provided on its side faces with friction clutch surfaces, preferably formed dicated at 22, and includes a hub member 23, looselymounted on said shaft between said gear 15 and the side frame 3, and feathered to said shaft by a feather 24. The hub carries a circular web or disk. 25, to which is secured a friction clutch member 26, by means of bolts 27. Said member 26 is preferably of a suitable soft metal and is provided with a plane face 28 adapted to frictionally engage the friction face 20 on said gear 15, and may be provided with air spaces 29 between, the rear of said member and the disk 25 for air-cooling purposes. The clutch member 22 is limited in its movement in the direction away from said gear by a stop collar 30 seated in a circumerential groove 31 in the shaft 14, said collar being located within an annular recess 32 in said hub 23, the latter having a stop shoulder 33 at the base of said recess and abutting said stop collar. The member 22 is provided on its face toward the gear 15 with a recess 34 surrounding said shaft, and t-he plate 26 is provided with a central opening 35, said recess and opening combining to form a spring pocket or seat to recelve an expansive spring 37 coiledabout said shaft 14, and having its ends abutting the inner wall of said recess 34;

and the side face of the gear 15, respecfor a purpose to be presently described.

' On the shaft on the opposite side of the gear 15, from the member 22, is another friction clutch member 38, including a hub member 39 mounted on the shaft 14 for movement longitudinally thereof, and carrying a web or plate 40 to which is secured a friction member 41, by means of bolts 42, said friction member having a plane face 43 adapted to frictionally engage-the face 21 on the gear 15. Air spaces 43 may be provided between the member 41 and the web 40. This member 40 is urged toward the gear 15, in order to establish a friction driving connection between the same, by means of an expansive spring 44, coiled about the shaft 14, one end of said spring engaging'the rear end of said hub, and the other end abutting a suitable abutment on the shaft. The abutment vjust mentioned prefei'ably comprises a shell or housing- 45 surrounding and receiving the spring 44, and having a rear wall 45 having a central opening to receive the shaft 14. The shell or abutment is held in place and its position on the shaft determined and limited by an adjustable nut 46, threaded onthe shaft 14, as at 46. The spring 44 is normally of greater strength than the spring 37, and exerts its forceto move the member 38 intoengagement with the gear 15, and the latter in turn in engagement with the member 20, whereby a frictional driving engagement is established between the shaft 14 and the gear 15, and the gear is driven. It will be understood that the strength of the spring 44 is sufficient to provide a clutchingengagement between the members 22 and 38 to cause the gear 15 to drivethe gear 12 to cause the drum to lift a load within certain limits of weight, and to hold such load in elevated position when the motor is stopped and the shaft 14 is stationary. When a load is to be lifted the motor 19 drives the shaft 14, and the latter, through the clutch arrangement' just described, drives the gear 15 which in turn drivesthe larger gear 12 and the drum 9.

On one end of the motor shaft is a brake disk 47 with the circumferential friction surface of which cooperate brake-shoe levers 48, 49 fulcrume-d respectively as at 50, 51

.on the bed of the machine, said levers having braking faces 52, 53 engaging, said disk 47. F ulcrumed on the upper end of the lever 49, as at 54, is an operating lever 55, having a bell-crank extension 56 ivoted to one end of alink 57, the other on of which is pivoted as at 58 to the upper end of the brake-lever '48. The free end .of the lever is pivotally connected as at 59 to one end. of a link 60, the other end of which is pivoted as at 61 to the upper end of the core 62 of a solenoid 63, said core having an ex,-

tension 64 below the solenoid, and said exsolenoid is de-energized, and the weight 65 sets the brake when flow of current to the motor is suspended. By this arrangement the brake is released when the motor operates to drive the drum, and is set when the .motoris stationary, so as to hold the armature against rotation, and thereby hold the drum against rotation, by virtue of which the load supported by a line wound on the drum may be held in suspended position.

I willnow describe the improved means for controlling the winch:

Mounted on the-side frame 3 is a box or casing 66, the same being secured to said frame by bolts 67 extending through said box into the side frame, as shown in Fig. 3. This box 66 is provided with two chambers 68, 69 separated by a web or partition 7 0 having a central opening 71, and into the former of which chambers extends one end of the shaft 14, the latter having a. threaded end 72 onto which is threaded a stop collar 73 abutting a shoulder 73 at thebase of said threaded portion, said stop collar being adapted to abut the side face of the frame 3, or the partition to limit endwise movement of the shaft 14.

The shaft 14 is provided with a longitudinal bore 74, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and slidably arranged in this bore is a thrust-rod or pin 75, one end of whielh projects beyond the threaded end 72 of said shaft and through the opening 71 into the chamber 69, while the other end thereof extends, as at 76, beyond the face 21 of the gear 15 into engagement with a cross-key or plate 77 arranged in a transverse slot 78 in the shaft, said slot being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the ends of said key projecting beyond the shaft and located in recesses 79 in the member 38, so that the said member is connected to the shaft to rotate therewith. The key slot 78 is wider than the key 77, so that the latter will have movement or play longitudinally of the shaft.

The outer end of the box 66 is provided with a boss 80 having an internally threaded opening 81 in longitudinal alinement with the pin or rod 7 5, and threaded in said opening is a. thrust block 82 having a re duced portion 83 within the chamber 69 and in contact with the end of the rod 75. The outer end of the block or thrust member 82 has attached thereto an operating lever 84, by means of which said block may be rotated in either direction to exert a thrust on the to reduce the pressure between said gear and said member 22, so that said gear 15' may slip relative to the members 22 and 38. By this arrangement, when the gear 15 slips or runs free, the load may be lowered.

My invention contemplates, in its preferred embodiment, simultaneous energization of the motor and the brake solenoid when the" thrust is operated toflclutch the gear 15 to the shaft 14, so that the drum may be driven, and also de-energization of the motor and solenoid while said clutch is effective, so that the motor may be de-energized and held by the brake, and consequently the load may be held raised or suspended. The control is also such that the motor may be reversed, under which condition the brake is released and the clutch operated to drive the drum in. the opposite or reverse direction to pay out the hoisting line wound on the drum. For the purposes stated, the lever 84: is employed to operate the controlling means which controls the flow of current to the motor 19 and the brake solenoid 63. The controller casing is shown at 85 in full lines in Fig. 1, and dotted lines in Fig. 2. This casing contains a well-known form of controller consisting of a rotary member carrying contacts 00- operating with fixed contacts to furnish cur rent to the motor to drive the latter for-.

ward, and to cut off current from the brake solenoid to simultaneously cut oil current to the motor and to the solenoid when the rotor of the controller is in neutral position, and to reverse the motor and to energize'the' brake solenoid when said rotor is moved to reverse from neutral. The diagram of the contacts and leads for accomplishing the desired result are shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and will be described presently. The rotor, of the controller is provided on one end with a bevel gear 86 exterior to the casing, the said gear meshing with a bevel gear 87 journalled on a bracket 88, supported in any suitable manner on the controller casing. Fixed to the axle 89 of the gear 86 is one end of a lever 90, the opposite end of which is connected by a link 91 with the hand-lever 84, as at 92, so that the lever operates the clutch and the controller simultaneously. In Fig. 5 the contacts on the rotor of the controller, the fixed contacts with which they cooperate, and the current leads are as follows The leads L, L from a suitable source of current (not shown) lead t the fixed contacts a, b in the controller, the former lead indicated at 0 andat the other end to a fixed contact 0". The opposite side of the series field is connected by a lead 0 with a fixed contact a, the latter contact being connected as at c with a fixed contact 0. 0 designates a fixed contact connected by a lead 0 with the commutating field 0 of the motor, the latter being connected also by a lead 0 with a series of resistances R R R R R each of which is connected by a current lead to contacts 1' 1*, 1- 7", 1-, the. latter contacts being arranged in line with each other as shown, as are also the contacts 0 c, c, b and 0 The rotor car-' ries on one side a contact f adapted to contact with'the contact a, and also a contact f adapted to contact with the contact I), and electrically connected .to a contact f to contact the contact a, said contact f being also electrically connected to a contact P, which is adapted to contact the contact 0 The contact f is connected to the contact 7, which is also adapted to contact I) heretofore mentioned, the contacts f and f being on the reverse side of the rotor. On the forward side of the rotor are electrically connected contacts f and f adapted in order to cut out the resistances R R R R R and thereby permit the motor to speed up in the forward direction. The

contact 9 is electrically connected to the contact 7. 1 I

The reverse side of the rotor is provided with a contact h electrically connected to a contact h adapted to engage the contact 1", but arranged circumferentially of the rotor in a position corresponding to the position of the contact 9, so that when rotated in the reverse direction from neutral the rotor may swing through a determined throw without rendering said contact h effective, for a purpose to be presently described. The contact h is connected electrically to-a high speed contact h adapted to engage the contact 1' to out out all the resistances.

The parts being as above described, the operation of the invention is as follows When the lever 84 is at neutral or central position, the rotor of the controller is in position so that current is ofi the motor and the brake solenoid,-the weight of the latter maintaining the brake set, and at the same time the thrust member 82 is'in such position that the spring 44 holds the member 38 againstthe gear 15 and the latter against the member 22, so that the gear 15 is clutched to the shaft 14. The hoisting line being connected to the load to be hoisted, the operator lifts on the lever 84, which moves the thrust away from the pin 74,- and the spring 44 continues to exert its force to maintain the desired frictional driving conta(t between the friction members 22, 38, and the gear 15. The thrust screw 82 is against the pin 75, and the latter against the cross key 77 when the lever is in normal or neutral position, but such engagement is relieved when the lever is lifted, as there is no necessity of engagement of the elements 75, 82 while hoisting, as the fric-- tionaldriving contact will be maintained by the spring 44. Thus the lever may be moved up for hoisting without changing the pressure of the frictonal clutch members against the gear 15. The lifting of the lever v84 simultaneously moves the rotor of the controller in the forward direction, whereby current is thrown on the motor and on the brake solenoid whereby the brake is released and the motor rendered active to drive the drum. The rotor of the controller operates through the contacts g, 9 g, g g and r, 1 r 1", r to, cut out the resistance until the motor is brought to the desired speed. When the motor is running in the forward direction, the current flow is as follow s:By the lead L to the conto the desired contact g, g or g to the cooperating resistance contact, through the resistance element, and by way of lead 0 to the commutating field 0 and thence by the lead 0 to the contact 0 From the contact 0 the flow is to the rotor contact f to f, to contact 0 ,'and by the line 0 to the series field c, whence it flows by line 0 to contact 0 to contacts 7* and f, and from the latter to contact I) connected to the return lead L The brake solenoid63 is connected in parallel with the series field by the lines 0, '0. Upon the load being lifted to the desired height the operator lowers the lever 84 to neutral, in which position current will be out 0E the motor and the brake solenoid, and the weight 65 operates to set the brake and hold the armature shaft and the load stationary, under,

which conditions the friction clutch between ,the pinion 15 and the shaft is sufficient to sustain the load without slipping, it being understood that the spring 44 is regulated to exert suflicient force to sustain the loads hoisted by the winch. To lower the load the operator lowers the lever from the neutral position which operates the gear and the speed of descent of the load The further the leveris moved the greater being the freedom of the gear, and the reater the speed of descent of the load. hen the load ,has been lowered the desired amount, the lever may again be brought to neutral and the thrust pin 82 will be moved back, permitting the spring 44 to return the member 38 into frictional engagement with the gear, and the latter into contact with the member 22, thereby re-establishing the driving connection between said. gear 15 and the shaft 14. The function of the spring37 is to ensure relieving of the friction between the gear 15' and the member 22, and to ensure sufiicient movement of the said gear lengthwise of the shaft for this purpose. The spring is strong enough to overcome the friction existing between the teeth on said gear .15 and the teeth on the gear 12, and therefore to ensure relieving of the friction between the element 22 and the gear 15. During the lowering of the load, as above described, the fingers or contacts on the rotor of the controller swing through a space unoccupied by the fixed contacts, and therefore the current is cut ofi from the motor and the brake solenoid.

When the load, after being lowered, is disconnected from the-hoisting line, the lever 84 may be raised from neutral thereby operating the controller to throw current onto'the motor and brake solenoid and cause the motor to wind up the empty hoisting line. In order to lower the empty line, the operator presses down on, or lowers, the lever bethat when the motor is running in the re-' verse direction to pay out the line, that the gear 15 is not totally disconnected from the members 22, 38, but is connected thereto at a sufiicient degree of friction to drive the drum to pay out the line, but ata' less degree of friction than that existing when the handle 84 is inneutral position, or when the eration is so simply and so -quickl motor is running in forward direction. If the operator desires to pay out the load at higher speed than is possible by mere slip of the friction connection, say for example when a light load is being lowered, he can, of course, throw the lever until the controller reverses the motor and positively drives the gear 15in the reverse or lowering direction. The throw of the thrust mechanism is such that contact i reaches the contact r before the frictional engagement between the members 22, 38 and the gear 15 is completely broken. During the reverse running of the motor, the current flow at the controller, and to the motor and brake solenoid is as follows :--from line L to contact a, to contact h and contact h, thence to contact 7* and the resistances R R R R R and from the latter by way of the conductor a" to the commutating field from which the flow is by the conductor 0 to the fixed contact 0 From contact 0 the flow is to the rotor contact f. to contact i and thence to contact c, from which the flow is by conductor -0 to contact c the flow from the latter being to the contact f and contact 7, and then to contact b and the line L During the flow just described, current from L flows by way of o to the brake solenoid 63 and from the latter by way of conductor a to the series field circuit. When the rotor is rotated until it contacts n the circuit is the same except that the resistances R, R R and R are cut out.

The empty line having been payed out the desired distance, the operator returns the lever 84 to neutral, cutting 03 the flow of current to the motor and the brake solenoid, and re-establishing the driving friction engagement between the members 22, 38 and the gear 15. I

Thus raising the lever raises the load, and lowering the lever lowers the load. This opcomprehended, that any laborer can sa ely operatethe hoist without drill or practice.

From the above description taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided an electrically operated and driven winch in which the control is of the utmost simplicity and which may be quickly understood and operated by unskilled operatives. Another advantage of importance resides in the fact that I am able to lower a load without driving the motor or even revolving its armature, which not only permits the conservation of current, but eliminates the heating of the motor which usually is about as great in lowering as in hoisting. I also am able to use a smaller motor than ordinarily required where the lowering is performed electrically by what is termed dynamic braking.

The slipping friction provided by the members 22 and 38, not only provides eflicient means whereby the load may be lowered without driving of the motor, but provides a safety overload protection for the motor, hoist and .rope. For example, if the slipping friction is set to hoist five. tons, any pull in excess of that amount will cause the gear 15 to slip relative to the members 22 and 38, and therefore protect the entire apparatus from excess loads or strains.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving said drum, africt-ion driving [connection between said inotor and drum, spring means normally acting to maintain said driving connection, controlling means for the motor, and means whereby said spring acts to maintain said connection when said motor controlling means operates to. cause the motor' to drive the drum and to vary the degree of friction of said driving connection when said motor is at rest.

2. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving said drum, a friction driving connection between said motor and drum, and including parts adapted to be engaged by a variable frictional engagement, spring means normally urging said parts in engagement, thrust means controlling action of said spring to vary said frictional en agement, a controller for the motor, an means whereby operation of the controller to cause the motor to drive the drum permits said spring to'maintain said parts in driving engagement, and when in position to stop the motor reduces but maintains pressure between s'aid'parts.

3. In combination, a drum, driving means for the drum including parts adapted to frictionally engage each other, a motor for driving one of said parts, spring means norinally holding-said parts in frictional engagement, a controller for the motor, means for controllin the action of said sprin means, and adiand-lever connected to said motor controller. and said last-named means, and operating the same so that said spring means maintains driving connection between said parts when the motor drives the drum, and said friction maybe relieved when the motor is at rest.

4. In combination, a drum, a driving shaft, a gear loose on the shaft and geared to the drum, a yielding friction connection between said ear and shaft, a motor to drive said sha t,a brake to hold the drum, a controller for the motor, hand-operating means for the controller, means whereby operation of said operating means in one direction from a point causes the brake to be released, the motor energized to drive the drum and the said connection to be established to drive the drum, and operation of the operating means in another direction from said point de-energizes the motor, and reduces the power of the friction connection without breaking said connection.

5. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving the drum, a yielding friction clutch means normally maintainin .a driving connection between the motor an active to relieve the said driving connection,. but operating to reduce the friction of said driving connection when said controller is operated to reduce the supply of current to the motor.

6. In a winch,"in combination, a drum, a motor, agear on the drum, ashaft, a driv ing gear on said shaft and meshing with the first-named gear, means on the shaft providing a friction drivin connection between the shaft and the gear t ereon, a spring normally exerting its force vto establish said driving connection,' a controller for the motor, and a hand-operating means adapted simultaneously to vary the force applied by said spring and to operate said controller.

7. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving said drum, friction clutch means for establishing a driving connection between said motor and drum, an electrically operated brake for controlling revolution of the drum, a controller for current to the motor and brake, and a single handoperating means having connections with said driving connection and controller such that whensaid means is moved in one direction current is applied to the motor to drive it in one direction, said brake is released and said driving connection established, and when said device is moved in another direction, current to the motor is cut-off, said friction connection is reduced to permit the drum to slip relative to said connection, and the brake is applied. I

8.. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving said drum, friction clutch means for establishinga driving connec tion between said motor and drum, an electrically operated brake for controlling revolution of the drum, a controller for current to the motor and brake, and a single hand-operating means having connections with said driving connection and controller such that when'said means is moved in one direction current is applied to the motor to driveit in one direction, said brake is released and said driving connection maintained to lift a load, and when said device is moved in another direction, current to the motor is cut-off, the brake is applied and said friction connection is reduced but'not discontinued, whereby the drum may slip relative to its driving'connection to theremembers on the shaft to rotate therewith,

and on opposite sides of said gear, said gear and members having cooperating fric- 1 tion surfaces, one of said members and said gear being movable lengthwise of said shaft, a spring for establishing frictional contact between said members -and gear, thrust means for relieving said frictional contact, a controller for current to the motor, and a single hand-operating means movable in one direction to operate the controller to supply current to the motor, and to permit the spring to maintain frictional driving contact between said members and gear, and movable in another direction .to cause the thrust means to act on the spring to relieve the frictional driving contact, and to operate the controller to discontinue current to the motor. a

10. In combination, a drum, a motor, a friction driving connection between the motor and drum, a spring normally maintaining the parts-of said connection in frictional contact, thrust means operable on said spring to regulate the degree of drivto its driving connection, and when moved to another position reduced pressure will exist and the motor. be energized to run in the'opposite direction. 7

11. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving the drum, a friction driving connection between the motor and drum, a spring normally maintaining the parts of said driving connection in engagement, thrust means operable on said spring to regulate the degree of driving pressure between said parts, an electric brake for the drum, a controller for the motor and brake,

a hand-operating device movable in opposite directions from a neutral position to operate said thrust means and controller, and means whereby when said operating de vice is at neutral said motor'is deenergized and the brake set, and said thrust means permits the spring to exert power to hold the drum under load, and when the handoperating device is moved from neutral in one direction the motor is energized, the

brake released and the spring maintains the driving connection for hoisting a load, and when the hand-operating device is moved in another direction from neutral the motor is deenergized, the brake set and the holding ower of the spring reduced to permit the drum to slip under load relative to its driving connection.

12. In combination, a drum, an electric motor for driving the drum, a friction driving connection between the motor and drum, a spring normally maintaining the parts of said driving connection in engagement, thrust means operable on said spring to regulate the degree of driving pressure be tween said parts, an electric brake for the drum, a controller for the motor and brake, a hand-operating device movable in opposite directions from a neutral position to opperate said thrust means and controller, means whereby when said operating device is at neutral said motor is deenergized and the brake set, and said thrust means permits the spring to exert power to hold the drum under load, and when the hand-operating device is moved from neutral in one direction the motor is energized, the brake released and the spring maintains the driving connection for hoisting a load, and when the hand-operating device is moved in another direction from neutral the motor is deenergized, the brake set and the holding power of the spring reduced to permit the drum to slip under load relative to its driving connection, and means whereby continued movement in said second direction releases the brake' and energizes the motor to run in a reverse direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS S. MARTIN, ERNEST BULSFORD. 

